Three Islamic State terrorists arrested southwest of Kirkuk

Iraqi security troops have arrested three Islamic State members, southwest of Kirkuk, a security source said on Thursday.

Speaking to Almaalomah website, the source said “troops arrested three Islamic State members near Hawija town in Kirkuk,” adding that the militants were trying to enter the town to carry out terrorist operations.

“Information from the intelligence department enabled the troops to reach them. They were taken to security facility for investigations,” the source added.

On Tuesday, Diyala Operations Command said troops managed to arrest a leader from Islamic State’s so-called Kirkuk State, while he was attempting to sneak via the borders of the province through Jabbara region, northeast of Diyala.

Last week, troops of the Counter-Terrorism Service managed, during an operation, to arrest on Thursday a cell composed of 13 militants who had sneaked into Kirkuk. On Wednesday, three members of Islamic State, including a senior intelligence official, were arrested during a security campaign in southwestern Kirkuk. Up to 14 Islamic State members were killed on Tuesday in a series of airstrikes on northwest of Kirkuk province by the U.S.-led international coalition warplanes.

The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014.

Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.

Source: Iraqi News